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Camille Lee
Ms. Gardner
English 10H Period: 4
10 May 2016
Illegal Immigration: A Journey of Uncertainty
When an American citizen comes in contact with authority, either good or bad: one does
not have to fear deportation. However, undocumented immigrants residing in the United States
are constantly followed by a veil of worry and uncertainty. Illegal immigration is an intense
movement that needs to be viewed in less of a pessimistic manner; therefore, it is becoming a
sizeable platform for economic, political, and financial controversy. No fence, no matter how
high, will solve that problem, said Kurt Eichenwald, a writer for Newsweek. That problem is
referring to millions of undocumented immigrants escaping their oppressive origins and entering
unfamiliar grounds. Illegal immigrants are viewed by some as a problem; however, this can be
resolved with a more accessible obtainment of American citizenships. The origins of
immigration in the United States began when the U.S. government encouraged open
immigration in the interest of settling as much territory as possible (Ebsco Host). Statistics
done by Jie Zong, a Research Assistant, and Jeanne Batalova, a Analyst at Migration Policy
Institute, indicate Immigrants in the United States and their U.S.-born children now number
approximately 81 million people, or 26 percent of the overall U.S. Population (qtd. in MPI).
With this being said, the mass population of living residing in the United States is a topic
Americans cannot neglect, nor overlook.
Essentially, some Americans may contest that illegal immigrants damage their economy
by stealing their jobs, and enlisting in welfare. Statistics from Michael Snyder, an American

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business executive, states fifty-percent of all households that are led by an immigrant (legal or
illegal) are enrolled in at least one welfare program (qtd. in Info Wars). Altogether, opposers of
illegal immigrants obtain a preconceived notion that illegal immigrants disrupt Americas
economy and are motivated to take jobs away from American citizens. An article in The New
York Times, written by Adam Davidson, provides facts on economic harm done by aliens, Labor
economists have concluded that undocumented workers have lowered the wages of U.S. adults
without a high-school diploma 25 million of them by anywhere between 0.4 to 7.4
percent (qtd. in The New York Times Magazine). Naturally, some American citizens may
consider aliens detrimental to our economy. A mass of undocumented persons applying for jobs
may seem alarming; however, these immigrants prove to expand the job network. In many
cases, undocumented immigrants pursue agricultural jobs that Americans simply do not want.
An American economist, Thomas Sowell, expresses Stopping illegal immigration would mean
that wages would have to rise to a level where Americans would want the jobs currently taken by
illegal aliens (qtd. in Brainyquote). Sowells observations suggests illegal immigrants do not
steal Americans jobs, but actually broaden the work network. Lance T. Izumi, Director of
Studies at the Pacific Research Institute, emphasizes California's illegal-immigrant population
has swelled by 1.2 million since 1990 (qtd. in Atlanta Journal Constitution). To entitle illegal
immigrants with the act of damaging the economy, is not only unfair and untrue, but it begs the
question of ones own moralities and responsibilities to help fellow human beings.
Popularly discussed in politics today, the topic of illegal immigration weighs heavily in
the minds of voters; furthermore, leaving one polluted with the decision to either comply with or
deny the migration of undocumented persons. An active candidate running for American
Presidency, Donald Trump, claims:

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When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're not sending you.
They're sending people that have lots of problems and they're bringing those problems
with them. They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists, and some, I
assume, are good people (qtd. in Newsday).
Trumps allegations reveal biased remarks; Trumps accusations highlight blunt opinions. On
the contrary, Eichenwald writes about a professor of sociology at the University of California,
Irvine, Ruben Rumbaut. Rumbaut notes in a 2007 report for the Immigration Policy Center that
even though the number of undocumented immigrants doubled from 1994 to the record level of
12 million in 2007. The rate in which crimes of violence occurred dropped 34 percent, and the
property crime rate fell 26 percent (qtd. in Newsweek). With this, I can assume Mexicos
people that are not the best must not be as bad as they are asserted.
With Americans oscillating economy, and the desire to point fingers to the supposed
cause of fluctuation; illegal immigration becomes a focal point for blame. Payments from illegal
immigrants are serving to sustain and stabilize Social Security. Dick Mountjoy, a past
Republican politician, addresses Americans with, We cant deny the financial toll illegal
immigrants take on our communities. However, the price we pay for illegal immigrants
occupying the United States cannot compare to the rate at which they supply for the economy.
The majority of these aliens actually pay their taxes. To further illustrate, in California, they
pay about 300 million a year in income taxes(Eichenwald). With an increase of population,
comes a necessity for basic living resources. As more money is spent, an increase in demand is
fueled, resulting in more jobs. It is not that illegal immigrants do not have the capability to hold
more desirable positions; however, it is their willingness to accept labor intensive jobs for lower

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wages, in hopes of commencing a better life for themselves. If we were to deport these willing
workers, how willing will you be, to substitute your bowtie for a plow?
Irrefutably, statistics prove that illegal aliens aid, rather than bruise our economy. Illegal
immigrants journey to the United States in hopes to improve, rebuild, and distinguish their lives.
The act sought by the government in which they apprehend, detain, process, and transport
millions of men, women, and children(Eichenwald), can be identified as an unethical process
that imprints a sense of indistinguishability among undocumented immigrants. Instead of
automatically deporting illegal immigrants, Americans should focus on improving the process of
citizenship; allowing the process to become less cumbersome. A fix proposed by the head of
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, John Sandweg declares, The solution: a
congressional fix to make the system more humane (qtd. in Los Angeles Times). Anyone with
moral means, should have the right, and or ability, to live wherever they wish. This wish is
granted to some extent; however, expiring visas, obscene fees, and a lack of resources, leads to
illegal immigrants embarking to the United States without permission. To become an American
citizen certain financial fees must be met. Steven A. Camarota, Director of Research for the
Center for Immigration Studies, announces The current filing fee for Form N-400, the
Application for Naturalization, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, for adult
applicants is $680(qtd. in Immigration Impact). This amount of money serves as a barrier, for
this fee does not symbolize citizenship; however, embodies a budgetary burden. For this
reason, Americans need to widen their gaze. While a vast majority of undocumented immigrants
are stricken with poverty, this unfeasible payment should lead to a token of citizenship. Instead
of commencing efforts to deport illegal immigrants, I suggest we launch our energy into
developing an easier and more welcoming environments to immigrants.

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Some American citizens refer to illegal immigrants as problems or burdens for the
economy; therefore, the concept of illegal immigration is hoisting diplomatic discussions,
industrial issues, and money complications into the air. However, these matters can be resolved.
Essentially, the end to illegal immigration begins with the realization that these aliens, are
ultimately humans: humans with the will to begin anew. Deporting all illegal immigrants would
not only reveal a detrimental drop to our economy, but would result in the deportation of
diversity. The United States is known as the melting pot, intertwining cultures with beliefs,
concluding in a medley of diversification. The time has come to not only grant amnesty to those
illegal immigrants already residing in the United States, but to abolish the inconvenient and
lengthy red tape involved in granting legal permission to enter the United States. One does not
choose the origins of their birth, yet every person should be able to embrace a new country, with
hopes to better their circumstances.

Works Cited
Batalova, Jeanne. "Mexican Immigrants in the United States."Migrationpolicy.org.
Ed. Jie Zong. N.p., 17 Mar. 2016. Web. 10 May
Camarota, Steven A. "Immigration's Impact On American Workers."
Center for Immigration Studies. N.p., 29 Aug. 2006. Web. 10 May 2016.
Davidson, Adam. "Do Illegal Immigrants Actually Hurt the U.S. Economy?"

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The New York Times. The New York Times, 16 Feb. 2013. Web. 09 May
"Donald Trump Controversial Campaign Quotes." N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2016.
Ebsco Host. "Immigration Restrictions." N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2016.
Eichenwald, Kurt. "Illegal Immigration: Myths, Half-Truths and a Hole in Trump's
Wall." Newsweek. 23 Oct. 2015: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher.Web. 09 May 2016.
Hunt, Albert R. "Facing the Facts on Illegal Immigration." The New York Times.
The New York Times, 20 July 2015. Web. 09 May 2016.
Izumi, Lance T. "Educating Illegal Immigrants Costly." Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
18 Aug. 2010: A.13. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 10 May 2016.
Sandweg, John. "Who Should Be Deported?." Los Angeles Times. 27 Mar. 2014
A.19. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 10 May 2016.End Illegal Immigration.
Snyder, Michael. "19 Very Disturbing Facts About Illegal Immigration That
Every American Should Know." Infowars. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May
Sowell, Thomas. "Thomas Sowell Quotes." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web.